1. Technical Description
The present invention relates to a mirror assembly in general and, more particularly, to an exterior mirror assembly for a vehicle including an approach light which illuminates an area in proximity to the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Vehicle operators have become increasingly concerned about personal security in and around their vehicles. This concern heightens when a vehicle operator approaches a vehicle after it has been left unattended and the operator has been away from the vehicle. Approaching the vehicle often causes anxiety in the operator, as the operator realizes that an unattended vehicle provides a convenient hiding spot for potential perpetrators of assaults, robberies, and other personal violations. An unlit, unattended vehicle provides sufficient cover so that a would-be perpetrator could surprise the vehicle operator and other passengers as they approach the vehicle. For example, would-be perpetrators may hide along side, under, behind, or around the operator's vehicle. In parking lots, would-be perpetrators may seek additional cover not only from the operator's vehicle, but also from vehicles adjacent to the operator's vehicle. Thus, an increasing need exists to provide additional safety in proximity to vehicles and minimize cover provided to would-be perpetrators by vehicles, particularly at night.
It is well known that security lighting systems minimize the cover provided by darkness to would-be perpetrators. Many assaults, robberies, and other personal violations committed against vehicle operators approaching their car typically occur at night. It is also well known that providing suitable light eliminates many such incidents. Because it is not possible to sufficiently light every parking space of every parking lot, vehicle designers have endeavored to rely upon the vehicle to provide sufficient light to ward off would-be perpetrators. Many vehicles include keyless entry systems, which may or may not include additional alarm or security systems, which enable the vehicle operator to illuminate the interior of the vehicle when approaching the vehicle. However, illuminating the interior of the vehicle does not typically sufficiently illuminate the exterior of the vehicle, thereby enabling the operator to see would-be perpetrators.
Some systems have attempted to increase the lighting exterior to the vehicle in order to increase the safety margins provided to the operator and ward off would-be perpetrators. For example, vehicle designers have placed lights in mirror housings in order to illuminate the exterior of the vehicle. Examples of such systems may be found with reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,371,659; 5,497,305; 4,497,306; 5,669,699; 5,669,704; 5,669,705; 5,823,654; and 5,863,116, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference for their technical discussion. These patents discuss various systems for placing a light in the housing of a mirror assembly.
The above-referenced patents, however, primarily discuss placing a light in the housing of the mirror assembly. Typical mirror assemblies include a sail which attaches to a forward portion of the front driver or passenger side doors. The sail rigidly attaches to a hinge or bracket. The hinge or bracket in turn attaches to a housing which provides support and protection for a reflective element, such as mirror glass. The housing typically pivots with respect to the bracket so that the mirror housing may fold inward to increase safety and selectively reduce the overall width of the vehicle.
While the designs presented in the above-referenced U.S. patents enable illumination of the vehicle exterior, these designs increase vehicle cost and reduce performance of the mirror assembly. In particular, locating the light module in the mirror housing necessarily places more mass of the mirror assembly outboard from the car. This increased outboard mass increases the moment exerted by the mirror housing. The increased moment correspondingly increases the vibration of the mirror, decreasing the performance due to the vibration. Further, placing a light outboard in the mirror housing requires that wires be routed through the hinge to power the light placed in the mirror housing. Routing wires through the hinge that connects the bracket to the housing presents many design challenges and further complicates the mirror assembly design. Such wiring again moves weight further outboard and also requires an additional length of wire to power the light module in the mirror housing, thereby increasing the cost of the system. Because the mirror housing pivots with respect to the supporting sail and bracket, folding the mirror inward varies the angle of illumination provided by the light module because the angle of the mirror housing often varies with respect to the horizontal as the mirror folds inward. Because the mirror housing experiences significant aerodynamic effects, the windstream passing by the mirror housing provides ample opportunity to coat the lens area of a light mounted in the mirror housing with road debris, salt, mud, dust, dirt and the like.
Placing a light module in the mirror housing significantly limits the ability to seal the light module and electrical wiring from the elements, including water, road salt, dirt, debris, and the like. Most mirror housings also include an area between the mirror and the mirror housing which is not sealed. This area allows water, road salt, dust, dirt, and other debris to enter the interior of the mirror housing and potentially damage the light housing and accompanying wiring. The exposed light module placed in the housing must be sealed from the exterior contaminants. Sealing the light module resultantly causes the light module temperature to increase. The temperature may be reduced by limiting the output of the light source. This reduced output typically reduces the illumination output by the light source. Finally, placing a light module in the housing requires allocation of valuable space that limits the structural supports or other components that may be placed in the housing.
Thus, there is a need to provide an exterior mirror assembly which illuminates the exterior of the vehicle and improves upon the above-discussed configuration in which a light is provided within and illuminates from the mirror housing.
This invention is also directed to an exterior rear view mirror assembly including housing and a reflective mirror supported by the housing and arranged in a rearwardly facing direction. A support member has an outboard end attached to the housing and an inboard end secured to an outer surface of a motor vehicle. The support member includes an opening. A sail attaches to the inboard end of the support member and secures the support member to the motor vehicle. A light transmitting lens is disposed in the opening of the support member. The lens enables light to project from an interior of the support member to an exterior of the support member to illuminate a predetermined area in proximity to the motor vehicle.